Beneath Skin
by ElaEnchanted21
Summary: Orphaned at Birth, Vivian has lived a life of hardship and lonliness. With her only compainian next to her she works to be able to sustain herself and the only family she has. But when things start to get better after years of waiting she is found useful to the Black Order. Just when she is getting the hang of things, everything becomes complex. She meets him. Tyki X OC Enjoy!
1. Prologue

I was different from the others. Different from the world, though at first I didn't even know it. I thought I was a regular orphan. Alone, irritable, and stubborn as hell. I was working three dead end jobs; two of them I wasn't proud of. But what I was most known for wasn't how well I played poker or the fact that I was a good actress. It was the fact that I was a songstress. An opera star if you will. I was known as "the Maestro" and occasionally as "The Angel of Music." I could play numerous different instruments, including making my voice sound like one. But I had no clue that one show would change my life forever.

I remember sitting at my dressing table, caressing the long silver chain that hung from my neck. My brow was furrowed, my eyes sorrowful in thought. The trinket that dangled from the end glimmered in the soft flickering candle light. My hair a golden mass that was fixed at the nap of my neck. I was nervous. I never got nervous. Perhaps it was the corset that was making it hard to breathe. I kept telling myself that trying to reassure myself that there was nothing wrong. I was just being impossible. Panic flooded my eyes as my hands gripped the sides of the ivory table tightly. "Vivian!" Cried Maude as she silently climbed up the winding staircase from downstairs.

I cranked my head to look at her as I tried to smooth out my hysterical features. "Yes?" I said, finally my voice smooth and normal.

"Are you ready?" She said her face still flustered from the stress of stage production.

I nodded, averting my eyes away from her for a moment as I looked at my self one last time.

I gathered my dress as I walked up the stair case. It groaned in protest but I ignored it, climbing at a steady pace as I made it to the floor. I waited for my cue and then walked on stage, ready to start my performance.


	2. Childhood monsters

I think I hated it more when people took me for granted then when people criticize me about how I sing. At least when people criticized they really didn't mean it. I heard their whispers from across the stage. "She's so frail! Do you think she will be able to take on such a big song?"

I sang to myself as I walked on stage. My smile so wide and soft as I prepared my self for what I was going to do. _"Inside my heart is breaking, My make up may be flaking, But my smile still stays on." _

Tilting my chin up I took a small bow and cued the Maestro. The baton went up and he started the piece. My voice oozed out the melody of the Latin piece as I used my vibrato in a subtle way. At first I started soft and then crescendo into the climax of the piece. Stunning not only my peers but also the crowd. All of the doubt had evaporated turning some looks into pure joy and others into jealousy. This happened often. But it still made me feel a little proud. There was an up roar of applause at the end of my act. I bowed again and exited the stage. I let the soft red velvet of my dress drag across the floor as I walked back down the stairs silently. There was something wrong. My gut was telling me that, but I had no clue what.

All that I wanted was to get out of my dress. I wanted to go home to Ember and ruffle his thick fur and eat what little food we had. But of course that wasn't the case, something much bigger was going to happen. I still had yet to know it though.

It was cold on my walk home. Fall nightly weather was furiously turning into cold winter nights that cut through you like a blade on soft skin. My cloak did not keep it out. I put up my hood to block out some of the wind as I lit my lantern and started to walk home from the opera house. My lantern lit the path into the woods dimly as my footsteps made dull thuds on to the frozen hollow ground. It was the voice I heard that made me stop though. A snarl of a voice that made goosebumps erupt over my skin and a chill shimmy it's way down my spine. _"Excuse me dear. We're lost. Could you give us some __directions?"_

My brow furrowed as I defied every sense of rationality that I had. I turned around.

The people who stood there before me looked just like every other person. But there was something strange, something wrong about them. I kept my voice cool and collected. "Where do you need to go?" I asked with a small smile.

They shuddered at the sound of my voice. I couldn't help but think what was wrong with them. Had I scared them? There was no way. I never frighten anyone. I was perhaps the most harmless person ever created, wasn't I? I was starting to think differently as I stared at the people who I thought to be normal. One of them stepped forward. The one who did looked like the leader, but even something about him made me nervous. My smile faded as I looked at the expression on his face. An arrogant sneer that made another shiver ricochet down my spine. "What do you want?" I asked this time speaking a little louder and glaring suspiciously at the intruders.

They shuddered again. Their sneers became wider though as soon as I knew it. "_Give us the innocence! We know you have it!"_

"Innocence? I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about!" I took a step back instinctively.

I was scared, I will admit that if nothing else. But as I stood there, there was a few things that had happened that made even I nearly whimper in fear. An animal-like growl erupted from the chests of the newly turned monsters as they loomed over me. I was panic stricken, so what was I to do? I had no clue how to defend myself yet, so why do I still get irritated at the very thought of this moment? I have two simple words for you. My expression. I look back now and think of how completely stupid I looked there with my jaw slack and my eyes wide with fear. I never show that, never.

So there I was, standing there like an idiot. Not moving, practically serving myself on a platter for them. Lovely, huh? I might as well have added spices to myself and stuffed myself with apples.

But then when I stood there caught in a stupor, it was then when my first urge came to me. _Sing, _it told me. _Sing, scream, or die. Save yourself from destruction. _

The voice crawled from the back of my mind, whispering a silent command that urged me forward as the words swelled at the tip of my tongue. The melody stuck in my head like I had known it for all my life. But then funny thing was that I had never heard it, I never had a use for it. To my own idiotic pride; I ignored my urge. To this day I regret how I had ignored my natural instinct. I wouldn't have needed anyone else help wise if I had just listened to what the voice had said. But in truth, who ever listens to the voice in the back of their head? No one. Only people who've gone mad.

But instead of running or singing or even screaming, I stood there and embraced death, instead of what my instincts told me. And just when I knew I _was _going to die, something happened. I met the rest of my family.

My eyes flew open by the sound of something exploding. The boys hair before me was a glimmer of silver over the painted canvas of shadows and a angry orange of fire as bits of the first monster was scattered around us. "Stay back!" Cried the boy.

There was a steel arm that was attached to his body. Large and powerful the weapon sliced through the monsters with ease. Brow furrowed with not only astonishment but also fear. Who were these people? Better yet, _what _were these people? The monsters were dead, just lumps of what looked like metal. The women among the group, stared at me. Her eyes were calm and almost sympathetic. I finally decided to grow some balls and speak up and I did so with a calm and almost monotone voice. "Who are you? And why did you help me?"

They all looked at me there eyes wide and puzzled. I was getting irritated. Was there something wrong with me? Why were they looking at me strange? "We want to know what the Akuma wanted with you. They said you had innocence, is that true?"

My brow furrowed as I sighed. "I have no clue. I don't even know why they were after me. It just happened."

They all exchanged strange looks, almost like they knew something I didn't. Which I wouldn't be surprised about, but still. It made me nervous. The silver haired boy spoke up. "What's your name, ms?"

A shiver ran down my spine. "It's Vivian."

The dark hair women spoke up, her pigtails bouncing slightly as she tilted her head and smiled. "Do you mind coming with us?" She said her grin growing wider.

"Who is 'us'?" I said crossing my arms over my chest.

There was a moment of silence. Only the rustling of dead leaves in the wind were the audible noise. I waited, listening to everything around me. Every scuff of boot, every breath. I heard it all. The white haired boy was the one who spoke first, a distant smile locked on his pronounced features. "My name is Allen Walker, it's a pleasure to meet you Vivian."

I took note of his name and everyone else names as they each stepped forward and told me who they were. Among them there was Lenalee, Lavi, Bookman, and lastly Allistar Crowry. Their smiling faces almost reassured me that there was nothing wrong with complete strangers who knew nothing about me, saving me from the monsters that I had dismissed from my mind when I was in the orphanage. But it was the growl of my family that brought me back to reality. "Ember." I said with a small smile, looking over my shoulder at the large wolf sitting on edge behind me.

"_I was worried. I wanted to come check on you." _He wined, his voice becoming slightly raspy from the growl in the back of his throat.

"Alright, we'll go home then. I'm sorry I worried you."

A blink and a small nod was all he gave me, but that didn't stop the exorcists from trying to stop us from leaving. "Wait! Vivian! Don't go, they might still come after you!"

It was Lavi that had spoke. I could hear the panic in his voice just from the few words that were spoken. Ember let out a deep growl warning him to not stop us. Lavi flinched from the sound of Ember's anger, even though I just bent down slightly and scratched him between the ears. "Calm down, both of you. I will be fine. Besides, I really must be going. I have a full day of work tomorrow."

They didn't stop us as we made our way toward home. It was small, a one room cabin with broken windows and sheets to block out wind. The fire was still lit from this morning, keeping the room as warm as it was going to get with out windows. Ember lead the way into the cabin taking his spot by the fire where the logs burned a deep crimson. _"You want to go with them. Something in you trusts them, I wonder what." _Growled Ember as he laid his head over his large paws.

I nodded, taking off my cloak and hanging it over the deer rack that hung from the wall. "I do trust them, and I have no clue why. It sounds ludicrous, does it not?"

He smiled a toothy grin as he spoke. His voice oozing mischief. _"Perhaps or maybe they are worth trusting." _

I sat down on my bed made of straw and old cloth and thought a moment. _"Vivian." _He growled. _"Go with your gut instinct, it is almost always right." _

I nodded understanding what he had to say. I started working on diner, know that there would not be much to eat. But soon enough a quite snore came from my wolf's throat. A shallow gurgling sound as he slept peacefully by the fire. I could tell by the blood by his muzzle that he had already eaten so I didn't wait for him to wake up before I ate my rations of food. The food was little but it was enough to keep me healthy.

Curling up into a ball, I fell asleep in my nest like bed. Only thinking of the day's events as I silently slipped into the darkness.

I was awoke by the morning church bells chiming off in the distance. This was a consent routine every morning the same. I quickly changed into my other set of clothes and made my way into the morning air. Fog had rolled down from the mountains overlooking the ocean, making visibility a bit difficult. I cut through the forest, taking my time through the morning fog.

When I finally was in town I made my way to market to get a few things for food. I had written a list a few days prior before I got paid for my act, adding very few things on the way. I picked through the fresh food, looking at the pairs and other fruits and vegetables. But it was when I walked past the butcher that I got a little sad. _What I wouldn't give for some chicken or beef. _I thought, my brow furrowing with slight irritation. I surpassed the thought, walking a little faster to the apple cart. I had a small basket of other foods when I got there. "Good morning dear. The apples are one shilling for two." The old women spoke softly as she stared at my thin frame.

I shied away from her a bit. My mind was at war with it's self as I craved the one fruit that was hard for me to resist. I loved apples, I think you should know that. It was one of my only weaknesses and I tended to crave them more than any other meat or baguette. "I see, well. I'll come back later when I have more money."

The women smiled and nodded, but we both knew I wouldn't be back. I had hardly any money as it was, why would I waste it on something so expensive and delicious?

Consumed with a deep longing for the tainted fruit I finished my shopping and headed back to home. My worn shoes clanked against the cobblestone roads leading me faster into the isolated cover of the forest. I could hear the distinct calls of the fox as I followed the beaten trail leading to home. It was nearly seven and I had a full day ahead of me. I suppose that having three jobs made life a bit difficult, but it was the only way for a women like me to live.

The door was wide open when I got back from the market, leading me easily into suspicion as I cautiously leaned into the doorway. What I found there was possibly the most bizarre thing I had ever witnessed up to this point. It's really hard to top that up until that point in my life. Now it's pretty easy. Just saying.

I stormed in, setting the basket onto the beaten table. _"Ember."_ I snapped. "Why are _they _here?"


	3. Beautiful Stranger

Words cannot describe the amount of irritation that welled up inside of me that moment when I nearly slammed the rationed food onto the table. The amount of anger burned at my skin and tugged at the calm facade that I normally had. "_Ember." _I growled my voice low and burning with a bitter taste. "Why are _they _here?"

That was one of my only problems, I'm territorial. Living in an orphanage you don't have anything that is yours and yours alone. This was my house and this is why I got so angry about it. I have to say though, their faces were priceless. Mixed emotions coursed through my veins, though I ignored the impulse to laugh at their fearful expressions. I merely pushed through it and glared deeply. The closest thing a wolf could get to a sneer crept over Ember's face. I nearly growled at him. The animal instincts that he taught me coming back into play. "Don't sneer at me." I snarled.

But sure enough I sat down next to him by the fire as I tried to calm myself down. "You gonna answer me? I did ask you a question."

Ember sat his heavy head on my knee as he spoke. _"They found the cabin by there selves, but they had a good reason so I let them come in. They told me they wanted to talk to you about something important. I knew you wanted to know more too, so I figured it would benefit all of us." _

The vibration of his voice tickled at my knee. "Oh did they?" I said scratching the long fur around his ears.

I was watching the exorcists with an odd satisfaction lurking in the back of my head. "So, how did you find me?" I asked finally after a long pause of silence.

"We were walking through the woods when we came to your cabin. Then we found Ember and here we are."

I recognized the boy who spoke to be Allen, though I didn't realize just how short he really was until I saw him stretched over my straw bed along with Lenalee and Krory. "Why were you even walking in the woods? You know this is a dangerous place, right?"

My voice was cynical as I spoke. I felt my face mold into a stoic expression, but there was something else there; something hidden beneath the surface. I just didn't know what it was yet. A cruel and twisted smile was bestowed upon my lips as I waited for their reply. Once again, it was Allen who spoke. "If I tell you, will you come with us to headquarters?"

The sneer grew wider as I chuckled darkly, sending a ripple of tremors to visibly run down each of their spines. "I'll consider."

"There was two reasons why we came. The first one was that we could find you and the second was that we could try and figure out why the Akuma want you."

"Atta-ta-ta-ta. See, your forgetting one more thing. You wanted me to come with you to where ever you guys are from, correct?"

He nodded, the white fluff of hair bouncing up and down like an angelic halo. "Now why is that? I'm just a normal civilian."

"We think your wrong. Why would they be after you if you were normal?" Krory said his brow furrowing irritably.

"Perhaps I'm food."

"If you were food, they would have killed you already." Said Lavi.

Another cruel laugh erupted from the back of my throat. I leaned back slightly and raised one of my eye brows. "Alright, so then enlighten me. What am I?"

"An exorcist, perhaps? I think that is the best explanation for what has just happened."

Bookman's voice was wise as he spoke. But something turned in me and it scared me.

"Has anything strange ever happened to you to?"

My brow furrowed as I answered his question. "Elaborate strange please."

The curve of a small smile appeared on his weathered face. "Have you ever encountered any Akuma before? Perhaps when you were younger? Or maybe certain people were attracted to you but would back away from you when you would speak? Anything like that?"

My mind wandered back to what had happened the night before. My brow crinkling further as I thought deeply. Was there anything else? Anything that had happened when I was much younger? I couldn't remember. Or maybe it was because something didn't want me to.

"Not that I can remember." I lied.

He nodded wearily almost like he knew I was lying. All of the sudden the clock tower chimed off again. It was already ten. I stood up abruptly nearly falling back wards. "It's already that late! I'm sorry but I must be going. I have to get to work."

Practice started at ten thirty and if I didn't hurry I would be late for it. "Where do you work?" Lenalee said, her voice sincere.

"I'm a singer, I work at the opera house as well as a few other places. I'm sorry, but if I don't hurry then I'll be late for my rehearsal."

I left them with that, nearly running out the door and down the beaten path. My rag like cloak swayed and flew about as I ran over the hallow late fall ground. It was when I finally made it into town when I stopped running. My breath came out in loud pants as I fast walked to the opera house. It was just about when I made it there when I ran into him. I was rounding into the alley way to take the back doorway into the stage when my hands met a broad chest. I stumbled back caught in a daze. "Oh dear! How clumsy of me! I'm so sorry."

The tall dark man fixed the crooked top hat that sat on top of his head. A small chilling smile crept over his face. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Besides, it's not every day that I run into a beautiful women."

The man's dark hair was slicked back creating long waves to cascade down his neck. But there was something different about him. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. The man before me was by far the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on, but even so. There was something wrong about the dark silluette. "Thank you." I said acting bashful, trying to hide my suspicion.

He tipped his hat and bowed slightly, putting a white gloved hand over his chest. "Your welcome, may I ask your name, beautiful?"

I scoffed slightly and grinned. "No you may not."

He raised one of his eye brows, a small sneer creeping on his handsome features. "Then what am I to call a pretty face such as yours? Hmm?"

"Nothing and no one. I am nothing, just a face in the crowd."

"You don't seem like just a face. You seem quite abnormal for a women. So confident, so sure of yourself. Now tell me how did one such as yourself become this way?"

The mockery oozed from every word he spoke, his body language screamed aristocracy. "It's a long story~"

"I've got time."

I glared up at him, tucking a small lock of my golden hair behind my ear. "I don't. I have no desire to be late for work."

"You work? Where?"

I glanced up at the towering building above us and sighed. "Umm, _here." _

He glanced up at the building above and smiled. "As what?"

"I really must be going. I'll loose some of my salary this week if I am late."

His smile faltered only to show a slightly irritated look. "I see, well. Good bye beautiful stranger."

With another tip of the hat he walked right on by. Just another shadow in my past.

By the time I waltzed in, practice had already started. "Vivian! Where the hell have you been?! Do you know I nearly got my ear chewed off because I covered for you?" Cried Maude as she glared at me from behind the curtain.

"I'm sorry. I got stopped by a man. It wasn't my fault."

"The director is going to have your head for this! I would get on stage now, before he gets angrier."

I nodded, a little hesitant to even go out there. But sure enough, I put on another one of my famous facades. "Maude." I said putting on the diva. "Take my cloak."

I draped it over her shoulder and walked out on stage, my false confidence overflowing with vibrancy. "Good morning director, Maestro. I trust you slept well."

I had the grace of a panther, the suave of a princess or queen. This was the diva. Confident, collected, and ever so charming. She was perhaps my best act. I smiled slightly at them, my confidence peaking. "Miss Vivian. You do realize that you are ten minutes late." Said the Director checking his gold plated pocket watch.

"Yes, director. I am gratefully sorry about that, but I intend to work much harder to make up for that, and also will make sure not bother you with worthless excuses."

"We appreciate that, now can we please start practice!"

The chorus girls started to dance and sing. It was at that moment that I knew I was off the hook.

_**Hello readers. I wanted to thank you all for reading and also say that this gets more complicated from here out. Now, I hope you liked it. But I wanted to note something before I finished this chapter. I wanted to make a character that isn't like the normal women that you would have met in the 1800's. I wanted to make her special. But for this reason, she might be a little rigid at the beginning. Once again, thank you for reading. ~ELA**_


	4. Mind filled with you

_**Hello lovelies! Alright, I wanted to note that this next chapter is mostly Tyki's point of view, and so the non bold is Tyki and the bold is Vivian. Now this is a really short chapter, but it will start getting really crazy soon, you just have to see. I hope you enjoy it, but Emily is rambling again so... well sorry. Enjoy!**_

Paris was starting to become cold with the promises of winter. I put a cigarette up to my lips and lit the overwhelming stick of relief. The smoke seeped from in between my lips creating a cloud as I walked the narrow streets. I had been wandering for hours, thinking of numerous things. Though, there was one person that seemed to be floating though my mind. Perhaps it had been the confidence that made me wonder exactly who she was. Maybe it was the human part of me that was curious. But low and behold, there were two sapphire eyes that swam in my head. Her eyes were possibly the most enchanting thing about her. They had the darkness of the deep sapphire but the glassy tint of ice over them. It made me wonder if she was blind. I remembered the golden tendrils that cascaded and fell neatly over her worn cloak. It was obvious that she had been a commoner. Small and frail looking, the women beamed with confidence and security. But then there was that voice of hers. Every word, syllable, and pitch that came out of her perfectly formed lips seemed to be crafted from an angels harp. Perfectly in tune, graceful, and ever so strong. It was interesting. I had never met someone like her before.

Her voice had been taunting the longer she and I spoke. But it was interesting to think that she worked at the opera house. Was she a singer? That would make sense just from the sound of her voice. I took another drag of my cigarette and played with the Joker card from my pocket, flicking the card between my gloved fingers. Perhaps I would see her again soon.

_**"Masquerade! Every face a different shade,**_

_**Masquerade, look around there's another mask behind you,**_

_**Flash of mauve, Flash of puce,**_

_**Fool and king,**_

_**Ghoul and goose,**_

_**Green and black, **_

_**Queen and Priest,**_

_**Face of rouge,**_

_**Face of beast,**_

_**Faces!**_

_**Take your turn, take a ride, **_

_**On the Merry-go-round,**_

_**In an inhuman race!" **_

**I sang along with the other performers; gallivanting through the crowds of people on stage. My long hair bounced behind me as I stopped abruptly in my spot. I wasn't thinking about my work though. There was only one thing on my mind and that was what scared me. **_**Good bye, beautiful stranger. **_**His words echoed through my head as I sang on auto pilot. With a twirl, I ballroom danced with my partner, his hand warm on my waist. It was between the bridge when ****we danced and twirled around, waist coats and skirts flapping with each precise movement. But ****still dark mocking eyes clouded my consciousness. He had been different, I knew that was true. Yet, he was all I seemed to think about since our first meeting. A few hours ago I had left the stranger, and he had left me with a eerie good bye. **_**Good bye, beautiful stranger. **_**His almost lazy way of saying such strange words rippled through my brain. It made chills run down my spine again. **

**"Who is he?" I whispered to myself in between another whirl. **

**"What?" Said Richard, my partner. **

**My train of thought was stopped by his voice. I smiled and shook my head.**

**"Nothing. I was just thinking..." **

**Richard sneered and raised one of his eye brows. "If you wanted a date, Vivian, all you had to do was ask." **

**I scoffed and shook my head. "Oh, **_**yes, **_**that is **_**exactly **_**what I wanted." **

**He grinned and spun me around again. Only for the climax of the song to come right after. The maestro started the climatic part in a ritardando. Only to go up to tempo again when we were done with it. **

**There was another show tonight, and once again. It was the anxiety that infiltrated back into my mind from the night before. The feeling was unfamiliar as it settled in as if it were to stay there forever. Why was this happening? I had never felt this way for as long as I had been on stage. So why now? Why was it that the fear for the spot light now made me quiver and tremble just like others before me had? There seemed to be on answers to all of the questions I asked. But even that left my head baffled with words. **

Home, I was home again. Well, if you could even call the ark that... anyways there was very few things I did nowadays. I often found the only company I kept was one of a hard spine and quivering words that created stories in which I could block out life. But even Macbeth wouldn't keep my mind occupied as I read on auto pilot, hardly in-taking the once beautiful book. My mind thought back to the angel from earlier, her voice still fresh as though it had only been moments before when I had spoken to her. The smell of her hair seemed to be lingering even though she and I were worlds apart.

A shrilling voice swam over my train of thought, making me snap back into the present. I lowered my book slightly with a perched brow to look at Road who was booking it down the corridor. "Tyki!" She screamed as she leaped into my arms, the book skidding across the marble floor only to disappear into the abyss of white.

"Road." I said sighing. "What do you want?"

She pouted and wrapped her slim arms around my waist in a unbreakable hug. "Play with me!"

I rolled my eyes with another sigh rolling out from underneath my chest. "I can't. I was just starting to get into my book."

With a sneer she took a lock of my hair and twisted around her finger. "Mhmm, sure you were Tyki-pet."

My jaw clenched and I shook my head irritably. "Not you too. I did tell Earl to stop calling me that, so why did you start in?"

"Because it's fun! It's fun to taunt you!"

"Yes, perhaps for you."

Her sneer grew wider as she read my features. "So, who is the girl that has seemed to captivate your mind? It's not often that that happens."

"So you were listening into my thoughts."

"It's hard not to when you're so engrossed with her. I don't think this has ever happened."

I nearly pried her off of me as I stood up. I then located my book and went over to retrieve it. My hands caressed the hard cover as I thought deeply. Painting a picture for Road in my mind of the angel that seemed so fragile and yet ever so strong. I sat down and dusted off the book with a small glance up. Her smile had faded and was replaced with a cynical all knowing expression. But that soon turned into another one of her infamous pouts. "I want to braid her hair."

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of it. I could see it now the angel sitting in Road's room as she played with her long golden hair that twisted perfectly this way and that. It was an amusing thought. "How did I know you would say something like that?"

She shrugged as she left. "I don't know! She is really pretty though. Didn't seem the least bit phased by you, which doesn't happen ever. Women normally fall for you the instant they see you."

"I know. She was different, there is certainly something about her that I just can't get out of my mind."

But it was then when she shook her head and left me, and I was left with a bitter feeling that settled in the pit of my stomach. I traced trough my mind to find a word for that feeling, but it all stop when I found the word. Fear. Afraid. And and that moment there was two thing I was certain of.

_All bets are off and I had to see her again. _


	5. Something inside me

The pain rippled through my throat as I sat at my dressing table petrified. It had felt like a dagger in the middle of my vocal cords and it came out of nowhere. I clutched and ripped at the skin around it, trying to feel something else other than the burning sensation that tugged at my conscience, easing me into the darkness. There was a small scream of the distant Maude as she ran down the stairs to find me clawing at my throat as if I had been choking on something. But it was too late; the darkness already had claimed me for itself.

_It echoed and roared through the land like thunder, making me as well as the rest of my comrades jump in surprise. There was something coming, but it wasn't quite there yet. My eyes flickered down to Ember who was staring attentively at where the sound was quickly drawing closer to where we patiently waited. There was a rustling in the trees. My hand flew to where the machete was in its holster strapped to my leg. Was it there? Or was it just an animal? I felt my teeth grind together as I glared at the conifers looming over us, waiting for a monster to erupt from the shadows of the night. Alas! They came over us swiftly like a dark tormented cloud, blocking out what little light we had. "We meet for the third time, my little vixen!" _

His voice echoed through my brain as I jolted awake panic stricken. Ember sat next to me in his human form, his dark all- knowing eyes staring at me stoically. Where was I? What was so important that I was already becoming more and more flustered? The dull thud in my head and throat brought me back to realization. I swiftly gripped Embers shoulders, shaking him as if he was the one hysterical. "Ember! What time is it?! How long was I asleep?!"

Tears were forming in the crevices of my eyes as I stared at him, realizing once again just how scary he sometimes looked when he was this calm. He pried my hands from his shoulders and got up from where he sat cross-legged. He walked across the room silently and picked up a pail from the corner of the room. "You were out for four hours._ Don't get up!_" He said as I tried to get up off the floor of our tiny cabin.

He glared at me from behind his shoulder and retrieved the damp cloth from the pail of water. "It's nearly eleven right now, the show is long done now."

He sat down next to me where I was staring at him awestruck. I shook my head in disbelief. "No. No, no, no, no. This can't have happened..."

He shushed me and pushed me down onto the soft bear pelt that was draped on the ground "Vivian, there is nothing you could have done. You blacked out for god's sake."

Ember softly put the damp rag over my forehead, numbing the ache that had formed in the back of my head. "Ember my salary..."

His calm features twisted into a cruel snarl as he glared down at me. There was a small growl that erupted from deep within his chest. "_Vivian! _Screw the feckin' money! It could have been much worse, you could have gotten hurt!"

"But we'll star~" I was cut off my another snarl and the snap of his teeth clashing together in a furious manner.

"_You forget what I am! _Am I not a wolf?! Do I not hunt?! I will do what I can to keep you healthy, _Vivian_! I _will _hunt for you, or have you forgotten that!?"

I stared up at the man before me, tears coming down from my eyes faster now. His snarl turned into a variation of irritation and sadness as he ruffled his deep reddish- brown curls. He pulled me to him and put my head against his bare chest nuzzling my hair affectionately with his nose. "I'm sorry I made you cry. But you're my only family, my pack. I just~ I worry about you."

His large hands rubbed slightly at the back of my neck as I sobbed pitifully. I nodded in his embrace. But he quickly got up and moved over to the fire that burned bright. "You should eat something, I caught a deer today and I skinned it for you."

I watched him with blurry eyes as he scooped out the the meat from the pot that crackled and popped over the fire. He then handed me the bowl and sat down near me, crossing his legs. I sniffed at the meat noticing something strange about it. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks over the head. "Ember? Where did you find spices?"

He sneered at me, sharp human teeth glimmering softly over his features. I noticed his head was propped up by his hand as I waited for his reply. "I bought them."

My features scrunched up as if all of the blood in me had dried up. He laughed at me, the sound close to a growl. "Don't fret, It was some money I had saved over the years. Happy Birthday, Vivian. It's been fourteen years since we first met."

I felt his hand ruffle my hair as I took a bite of the oddly delicious meat. This was possibly the best food I had had in quite some time. The meat was gone before I knew it. I had eaten a great deal if it, Ember made me sit though. He would get every bowl I wanted, making me eat the whole thing if I wanted another. But for once in my life, I was full. It felt nice not to be hungry, to not need anything but much needed sleep. I fell asleep on the bear pelt, curling in a small ball beside the fire.

_Infernus incendere splendida,_

_Inpertiendorum videant potentiam tuam,_

_Ostendam eis tenebrae a luce,_

_Miscere colorem nigrum & album,_

_Ex carne et osse pariter,_

_Inperteindorum videant potentiam tuam,_

_Constitues eos videre,_

_Constitues eos visurum... _

_(Hellfire burn bright,_

_let them see you might,_

_Show them darkness from light,_

_blend the colors of black and white,_

_from flesh and bone alike,_

_make them see your might,_

_make them see,_

_make them see...)_

_The melody was all I heard, the enchanting voice that sang in the back of my head edging me to sing it. But no matter how hard I tried, no matter how wide I opened my mouth. No sound came. I was running out of time. He would be hear at any moment and then I would be screwed. I clutched at my throat, clawing at the flesh around it. But still no sound came out. "It won't work, you know. I've sealed it off." _

_The voice that echoed throughout the room of both black and white was cruel with mockery, but there was something else laced into his voice. Sympathy perhaps. "D-d-did... you-u... d-oo... this...?" I asked straining my voice because it hurt to speak. _

_I could feel his mocking stare from everywhere. I could almost feel his sneer creep onto his face. There was a loud mischievous laugh that chilled my very being. "I might have, and if I did, what could you do about it?" _

_He was getting closer now, I could hear his footsteps padding across the black and white tiled floor. Thump, thump, thump. Suddenly there was a hand in my hair. His fingers twirled some of the golden strands delicately as if they held some sort of opulence. He tucked some of my hair away from my ear as he leaned in. "Little fox."_

I woke in a panic. My hands clawed at the fur beneath me as I tried to control my breathing. My right hand automatically when to my throat, clutching slightly at where my vocal cords were. I ruffled my hair and licked my lips tentatively. "What the hell was that?" I whispered, letting relief wash over me. I could speak.

I was so happy that I could have cried, but I didn't. I just sat there and looked at the door expecting something to jump out at me. _What time was it? _I thought, replaying the dream that I had just had. _Why had that voice sounded so familiar? _But there was no one to answer me, nothing but the lonesome and ever so troubling wind.

My body collapsed onto the bear pelt again ending with a low and dull thud. Things were becoming so complicated now, to the point were it was a wonder I was still alive. Ember's somber snores came from beside me as I noticed that he was curled right be side me, still in human form. A smile crept onto my lips as I took an extra pelt and draped it over him.

The song still tugged at something inside me, and I couldn't help but want to escape that feeling or numb it. That was when an idea came to mind, one that probably wasn't the best, but still my feet moved at their own accord. I clutched the pelt at the nap of my neck as I walked out of the cabin and into the solemn darkness of the night. The moment when my feet hit the cold ground a shudder racked through my body. _There's someone out there. _Said the voice in the back of my head. But still my feet moved out onto the night. My ears prickled with every crunching foot step that sliced easily through the eerie silence of the night. I had no clue what I was looking for, I was just searching for something.

But it was then when I found what I was looking for. The moon. It was full and perhaps that was what pleased me. But a smile fell onto my features and I couldn't look away from it's beauty. The voice echoed faintly in the back of my head again. _Sing. _It said. _Sing what you dreamed._ And for once in my life, I obeyed it's silent commands.

_Infernus incendere splendida,_

_Inpertiendorum videant potentiam tuam,_

_Ostendam eis tenebrae a luce,_

_Miscere colorem nigrum & album,_

_Ex carne et osse pariter,_

_Inperteindorum videant potentiam tuam,_

_Constitues eos videre,_

_Constitues eos visurum..._

_Vis videre auxilium tres,_

_Puer est scriptor et bastias,_

_Et monstri custodiant,_

_Clausa abstrusa et a me,_

_Videant,_

_Sive angelus, sive animal,_

_Peto ducente,_

_Et hic precor,_

_Mei laudabunt antiqua,_

_Sit hoc die,_

_Facimus eas vident,_

_Cinereum._

(_Hellfire burn bright,_

_let them see you might,_

_Show them darkness from light,_

_blend the colors of black and white,_

_from flesh and bone alike,_

_make them see your might,_

_make them see,_

_make them see..._

_Help them see the power of three,_

_Of child's and beasts,_

_And the monster I keep,_

_Locked and hidden away from me,_

_Let them see,_

_Whether it be angel or beast, _

_I ask for guidance,_

_And here I pray,_

_Sing for me O ancient one,_

_Let this be the day,_

_We make them see,_

_The gray. )_

My eyes closed by themselves, my mouth oozing out the melody by it's self. I could feel something well up inside me as I sang. What was I singing for? I had no clue. The only the that I knew is that I couldn't stop. All of the sudden the ground shook. I nearly fell over from the impact of the explosion. My head snapped over to the explosion, a chorus of them going off into the distance. _What was happening? _

I started to run to where the explosions were going off. The funny thing was that my brain wasn't really functioning at that moment, I was just drawn to it. My legs ran faster as I kept a strong hold of the pelt clasped around my neck. "Ember!" I rasped, watching as he poked his head out of the doorway. His hair was messy, his face scrunched up in a wearily manner.

I knew he could see the panic in my eyes, but he smiled and understood, running right beside me. I stopped dead in my tracks when we made it to the edge of the forest and the beginning of town. The city of Paris was in total chaos. The monsters from the night before flooded the cobblestone streets. The exorcists killing them off one by one. My jaw dropped in astonishment, my eyes wide with fear. "_Vivian." _Rasped Ember smirking to himself and shoving his hands into his pockets.

I looked up at him still afraid. He ruffled my hair, a growl still caught in his throat. _"Help them, I know you can." _

It was then I understood. I took one step onto the cobblestone streets and stopped. Staring at the monsters triumphantly. Opening my mouth, I braced myself for the haunting song that lingered in the back of my. It edged me forward, telling me to sing it nice and loud. It was then when I took a breath, and I let the song take over me.

The monsters stopped dead in the tracks. The bodies rocked violently, molding this way and that. Until the first one imploded on itself. After that it was a chorus of explosions, one after another. I kept singing though, in fear that there would be more. But Ember's hand touched my shoulder and I knew that I needed to stop.

I cut it off mid way through the song and stood there like a marble statue in a forest of cement. Ember's hand crept from my shoulder to my hair as he ruffled it once more. I knew what was likely to happen, and it scared me nearly to death. "Ember." I said my voice low and quiet. "What if they make me leave you?"

Tears were piercing my eyes, threatening my cover. But it was his low and dark chuckle that reassured me. "Don't worry Vivian. They try anything like that, I'll rip them apart."

I smiled and nodded, his hand shifting slightly in my hair. It was then when I was nearly tackled my Lenalee and the others. I was bombarded with comments and questions from all of them (except Bookman who stood back and smiled triumphantly.) But I found it hard to answer them, I had no clue I could do that. I had never known until today. "You are an exorcist!" Said Lavi grinning from ear to ear.

I heard Ember scoff behind me. "Nope, she's beef au bleu on a Sunday afternoon."

I couldn't help but smile and laugh. Everyone went silent as I did so, my laugh echoing throughout the streets, bouncing off of the buildings. I sighed then and tried to compose myself. There was a small smile playing on my lips as I looked up at Ember's face. He grinned happily down at me and ruffled my hair again. "What?" I said then pouting slightly.

"It's been awhile since I've seen you laugh like that."

I nodded, my mind wondering what it will be like to be one of them. "_Wait."_ Said Lavi noticing Ember standing behind me. "Who is that?"

I could nearly feel Ember's sneer as he chuckled from behind me. "Don't you recognize me, _Human?" _

He growled the last part. "Hmm... so you're a Okuri-Inu?"

It was Bookman that spoke. Everyone except Ember and I stared at him baffled. Ember's grin grew wider as we stared at the old man leaning against a tall oak. "What is a Okuri-Inu?" Asks Lavi still baffled by his grandfather.

"You have still much to learn, Lavi. An Okuri-Inu is a dog or wolf spirit that tends to follow people at night. Think of the Black dog or Grimm in English folklore. I find it a bit interesting though that he attached himself to one person. That isn't common."

"But isn't it just supposed to be a myth? It's not supposed to be real, right?"

Bookman chuckled slightly, his chest bouncing up and down with each ripple of laughter. "Perhaps, but it is real as Akuma, Lavi."

I heard Ember sigh from behind me as he patted my head once more. "You my dear, need to get some sleep. You have had a eventful day. Do you agree, exorcists?"

They all nodded rigidly, all except for Bookman who smirked amusingly. Ember nearly pulled me into the cover of the forest. I lumbered forward wearily, trying to keep my feet balanced. But as soon as I got into the cover of our home, I fell fast asleep. Not dreaming about a damn thing.

_**Three months later... **_

The sound of my shoes against the stone floors echoed throughout the order. I didn't know why I was so anxious to find Ember but I was. Perhaps I was making an ass out of myself pacing around like a lunatic, but it was one of the only things to keep my nerves down. _My first mission. _I thought longingly. It was odd to think that a few months ago I was nearly starving to death trying to work three jobs. Now I was happy and perfectly plump (to my own joy). I had never been this way, never felt so perfectly bliss anywhere. I found that I was a parasite type akuma weapon and that my skill had to do with making my voice go into a frequency to the point where I could make any metal kill Akuma or make them implode on themselves by screaming or singing.

Kamui said that my innocence was kind of like a high frequency wave. To humans and animals it was alluring and oddly haunting. But to the monsters, it infiltrates the body and goes straight to the soul. He had said he had seen nothing quite like it before.

"Lenalee!" I said running up to her as she carried coffees to the science department.

"Vivian, what do you need? Is something wrong?"

"I was just looking for Ember. I just got my first mission and he has to go with me. Have you seen him?"

She smiled thoughtfully and nodded. I couldn't help but nearly squeak from the happiness and I wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace. "He's with the science department, help me take these up will ya?"

Nodding happily, I took a tray and followed her as we went up higher into the building.

"So, where are you going for your assignment?" She asked bluntly.

"Moscow. It's strange going to places like that. I've hardly ever been out of Paris and now look at me."

"Are you excited at all?"

I thought for a moment. _Was I excited? Nope. _"Not really, I'm just nervous..."

"Don't be, what was you synchronization level?"

"It was a 91 percent."

She grinned slightly and winked. "Exactly my point. Oh, take a right here. It's just down this hallway."

I did as she was told and followed her through the corridor. It was then when I found myself in a room that was oddly cluttered. You wouldn't think it would be because of how big the room was but, it was nearly piled with papers with a bunch of data on them. I picked up a piece of paper from the floor and set down the tray of coffees. "What is all this?" I asked staring at the group of people sitting at desks writing furiously about something.

"Oh, Hi Vivian, Lenalee. What did you come here for?" Said Johnny, looking up from his work.

"I'm looking for Ember, but I helped Lenalee carry the coffee because I was going to come up here anyways."

"He's talking to Kamui, but you should come talk to us for awhile. Besides we wanted to know more about you innocence." Said Reever, taking his coffee from the tray that was laid on the coffee table near the couch.

I nodded, smirking at them. "Alright, why not?"

I took a seat between Tapp and Johnny and crossed my legs. "So, have you tried on your uniform yet?" Asked Johnny, taking a sip of his coffee.

"No I haven't yet... I was going to after I found Ember."

"You are really close with him aren't you?"

I smiled slightly reminiscing about how I first met the wolf. "Yeah, he's like a father or brother to me."

Johnny nodded and smiled. "Vivian, When do you leave for your mission?"

I looked up a Reever who was leaning against the desk next to Johnny, his coffee in hand. "I leave at four today. I still need to get Byg from my room and change too."

"Who's going with you?"

"It's going to be Ember, Marie, and I."

"Interesting, two people who use music to kill akuma."

"It is a bit ironic, but I need to get dressed. Tell Ember to meet me in my room after he's done here."

With that I waved good-bye to my friends and started to head to my room.

My uniform was folded neatly over the dark sheets of my bed. I had never had an actual bed so when I first got to the Order, I was puzzled at the fact I got a good bed, let alone my own room. But this was mine. A word that I was unfamiliar with, that seemed to be creeping up on me more and more. My hand clutched at the trinket that hung from my neck. It was a plate of silver that in it had the name of the orphanage that I had spent most of my life in and below it was my name. I looked down at it, running my thumb over my name. I had no last name, it was just Vivian. A name that the nun who worked at the orphanage had called me. She named me that because I was always a very lively person. She said it was perfect for me.

I picked up the black fabric of my uniform with a bit of dread. Everything was changing so fast, and there was nothing I could do about it. I guess it was time to change, but I was still nervous about the mission. I didn't want to leave. _This is what comes with the job, Vivian. _The voice crooned in the back of my head.

I was hesitant to get suited up but I did. The suit was tight, black pants that clung to my butt and thighs, but still was very stretchy. The top was long sleeves with a scoop that covered my collar bones. I looked over my room once more as I put on my black ankle boots with the pointed toes. The walls of the room was painted a soft cream, there was a full size mirror next to the wardrobe by the window that peered over the courtyard. A soft black velvet blanket was draped over my bed, the rest of it a deep plum. With a sigh I looked over what I had on. "It has pockets." I said aloud, smiling to myself.

I stuck my hands in the pockets and sighed. I took the dainty black gloves that laid idle on my bed and put them on. I noticed that not only were they real leather but also the backs of the gloves drooped low over the back of my hands. I put the goggles over my head and let them hang from my neck. "What should I do with my hair?" I thought out loud, looking over my golden tendrils that fell over my back.

"I think I might know."

My head snapped at where the door was hung open. "Ember." I said suddenly, my hand going to the necklace again.

He sat down on my bed, brush in hand and gestured over to right in front of him. He had his dark locks collected at the back of his head and a black ribbon to keep it back but he insisted on me sitting in front of him and so I did.

The dark had wood floors were cold as I sat down cross-legged. Ember ran his fingers through my hair and started to brush the golden mass. He collected it at the back of my head in a pong tail and pulled it back with something. "Put your goggles over you bangs."

I looked over my shoulder at him and noticed that his hair was down now. "You took out your ribbon." I said my brow furrowed.

"You needed it more, now put your goggles on top of you head, Viv."

I did as I was told, and stood up from where I sat. He had propped up his head with his fist, a grin on his lips, and his elbow on his knee. "You look the part."

Going over to the mirror with curiosity, I smiled slightly. "Do I?" I said look at myself at last.

I didn't recognize myself at first, it was so different. She looked dangerous, like at any moment she could easily rip you apart without a second thought. Her eyes reflected a bright blue that was soft and also harsh at the same time. Her creamy white skin held a dainty glow to it, her face a soft pink flush. She was stoic, but also had every emotion known to man reflected upon her. Her long golden hair was tied back with a black ribbon. The length of the hair was nearly to her waist. _Is that really me? _I thought suddenly, watching as the girl in the mirrors lips parted.

"What about your weapons?" Ember said, grinning at me from across the room.

I shook my head, trying to shake my head out of the cloud that it had ended up in. "I should put them on..."

I clipped the utility belt onto my waist, watching how it glittered in the dim sunlight. My eyes searched for the throwing knifes Kanda had given me after I threw my knife at one of the finders who had grabbed my ass. They were next to Byg who was encased in leather. I put the knifes in my boots, thanking that they had straps for them. Caressing the leather case for Byg, I let him out, looking at the way he glimmered in the evening sun. Byg was a machete, one that I had found to be fun to use when I wanted a good kick with my innocence. Thus far, it was one of my favorite ways to use my powers. I tied him to my waist and smiled. "Are you ready to leave soon?" I asked looking over at Ember who smiled wider.

"Yes, but I advise you to bring more than one set of clothing. We might be on the mission for more than a few days."

I nodded, trying to calm my breathing. "I'll pack. Meet me in the cafeteria, alright?"

He smiled and nodded walking out without another word.

I nearly ran down the corridor to the cafeteria, my cloth back pack slung limply over my shoulder. There was a small lump in the back of the throat that swelled the closer I got to the room. But as I went through, I had a calm facade on. Even though inside it was pure hysteria. The sound of my boots echoing through the cobblestone building edged me further to the room. All eyes were locked on me as I walked in, my stride long and graceful. It was at that moment that I knew something had changed with in me. _I'm home. _

_**This is when shit gets real. Just FYI. I'm excited about the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Please leave me comments, I adore them! ~ELA**_


	6. The Hunter and The Hunted

_**Alright everyone! I was really excited about this chapter, because here is where things get really complex. I want to note before I get this going that if I screw up any character please, please, please! Tell me! I'm not used to these character's (though I thoroughly enjoy writing them). I normally write Batman fan fic, which are a whole different experience. (Mista J is really fun to write and oddly enough easier that Tyki for me.) There will be a lot of Tyki (yay) in this chapter. Enjoy. :)**_

** Perhaps it was the chase of the hunt that kept me persistent. But it was beginning to become a problem. I was becoming irritable. _Perhaps she's dead. _I thought gloomily, a unattractive scowl plastering my features. It had been three months and not one sign of her. She had disappeared. "Maybe she's running from you." Sneered Road as she galloped beside me. **

** I shot her a glare and lengthened my stride a bit. It was cold, though I suppose it always was in Moscow. It didn't help that it was January. It had been Autumn when I had first met her... "Maybe that's what scared her away, that glare of yours." **

** "Road, please don't mess with me today." **

** "Oh quit being such a sour puss! What job are you doing today?" **

** I sighed irritably. My anger was growing rapidly as I looked before me. "I have to look for a possible heart innocence. I'm not too enthused." **

** "I can tell. You haven't been for months." **

** "Don't you have something else to do? Besides pester me?" **

** "Yup. I just wanted to see you off." **

** I nodded, the top hat on my head swerving a little. I watched as she booked it to the alleyway. She waved and smiled. "Ta ta for now. Tyki-pet!" **

** I groaned irritably. But started walking again, kicking about the snow. I lit a cigarette putting it up to my lips, taking a deep puff of it and sighing. _This was going to be a long mission. _**

The streets of Moscow were pained with people. A hustling and rush of bodies moving this way and that. I sighed as we stepped off the train, my breath coming out in a deep smoke. Behind me, Ember and Marie stepped off, there feet dipping into the deep wet snow. I shivered slightly, rubbing my arms instantly. "Take care of yourself, Monsieur." I said to the train attendant.

With a tip of the hat they were gone, flying by us were the faces looking out of the train. Ember was dressed in a suit, day coat and all. His hair was tied back loosely with a deep red ribbon (courtesy of Lenalee). I wrapped the dark cloak around me and put the hood up as we took our way into the crowd. "So, what exactly are we looking for?" I asked, looking back at Marie and Ember who looked alert as always.

"The innocence." Said Ember grinning mockingly.

I scoffed. "Ha, no shit, smart ass. No I meant the signs."

"Some people say they have seen monsters in the forest. They supposedly hunt people down and hang their bodies by the church." I looked up at Marie who had his hands in his pockets and was more alert than Ember and I put together.

"Mm, gruesome. But what kind of Akuma would do that?"

"It might not _be _an akuma. But it's still worth it to check it out."

I nodded, starting to look out more for the beasts that I had dismissed from my nightmares a long time ago. If found it odd how this was what life was becoming for me. It was ironic really. The creatures that for my whole life people said wouldn't hurt me. That weren't _"real", _were the creatures that I had to fear the most. That I had to hunt. Many smells infiltrated my nose, sending every molecule in my body tingling at the very thought of good food. I couldn't help but drool a bit as my stomach became an uproar of growls. "Hm, someone is hungry."

I glared at Ember who was sneering down at me. I could hear Marie as he chuckled at my attempts to suppress the hunger. "Ah that's right, someone has be spoiled recently haven't they?"

I blushed looking down at my feet. "I'm a parasitic type... I can't help that I'm always hungry..."

They both laughed at me as we walked into where the court house and church were. I looked at it grimly. Noticing the coffins by it. Seven black coffins lined perfectly in a row. "How many people have been killed already?"

"Seven as of today. I'm guessing toughs are their coffins."

I nodded, my brow scrunching with sadness. _Who would do such a thing? Kill for fun? _I could feel Ember's hand on my back as he pushed me down a street. "Come on, let's go to the inn."

"We're meeting our finder there, right?"

"Right."

**I stopped a moment when a shudder ran through me. _Damn, it's cold. _I thought, grinding my teeth together trying to keep them from chattering together. I shoved my gloved hands in my pockets, glaring irritably. When had life become this way? Why was I so hopeless without her when I had yet to know her name? It was troublesome to think that I needed anyone. But it was still nagging at me. Screaming at me to find her. _Damn the human part of me. _I thought looking over to the church with a snarl. Seven black coffins laid idle as some snow started to spit about.**

** I could feel the first sense of a smile start to erupt from my face. So, this is was where the innocence was supposed to be? A church? With a sigh I started to walk again, starting to feel like my old self again. All of the sudden a voice came from the back of my head. _Uh, sir. _**

** I could feel another wave of irritation rake through me as I heard the Akuma's voice. _What? _I snapped back, grinding my teeth together in an angry manner. _There are exorcists in town, what do you want us to do about it? _**

**My breath hitched in my throat. But for what reason I had no clue. _Don't touch them. Let me handle them, now where are they?_**

**It felt like my throat was closing in on itself. I tried to keep my breathing steady even though it hurt to breathe. _It's the old inn near the forest where we are looking for the innocence. The really shabby one. _**

**I swallowed trying to even my breathing. _Alright, I'll be there in a bit. _**

The inn was old, but oddly comforting. Especially since it resembled the old cabin that was home to me for many years. "Hm, what does this remind you of?" Asked Ember, straightening the black tie that hung from his neck.

"Home." I said with a smile.

"You used to live in bad conditions didn't you? Is it that bad?"

I looked up at Marie who's brow was furrowed, confusion blunt on his face. "Its... Shabby."

Ember chuckled at me, mocking my choice of words. I shot him a glare and started to walk into the place. The old floor boards creaked and moaned in protest from the pressure of our feet. I knocked on the door, the sound of it hollow as it bounced off the sides of the inn and woods. A lump formed in the back of my throat as a feeling suddenly crept over me. _We were being watched. _

It wasn't a question. I just _knew. _But I wasn't sure if it was threatening or not. I could tell that both Ember and Marie could feel it, but they said nothing. _I wonder who is there. _I thought taking another look at the woods that loomed dangerously around us. It was then a smell came to my senses. _Blood, metal, death... Akuma. _Ember growled next to me, a snarl on both of our faces as we stared at the woods waiting for them to attack. "Marie, Ember cover your ears."

"What are you going to do?" Asked Marie who wrapped a hand over his headphones.

"I'm not going to scream, so no ear bleeding today, but I am going to use my innocence."

"Maybe we need to go somewhere else. I'll go with you, you will need to get to a place where it will echo." I looked at Ember who had turned into his wolf form.

Just sitting down he was nearly two times bigger than me. I nodded, taking my goggles down from the top of my head and covering my eyes with them. "Will you need any help?"

I looked at Marie from underneath the goggles and smiled. "If Ember or I howl come find us. Otherwise I think we've got this."

He smiled, nodding slightly. I could tell he was a bit reluctant though. I understood why. This was my first mission. It could be very easy to mess up. I started to run, Ember's footsteps heavy beside me as he galloped easily through the wood._ "It might be easier if you are on my back, Vivian." _He growled, slowing down a bit.

I nodded reluctantly and stopped. A yelp of surprise came out of my mouth as he nearly thew me over his shoulder. I buried my hands in his soft dark raven hair and dipped my head low in between his shoulder blades. I felt a rush when he started running at his full speed. It was then when I realized just how slow I was compared to him. He was nearly leaping on air alone, snow wrapped around us and I couldn't help but smile. He stopped at a good high point of a hill, chuckling as I shakily got off him. I could see a valley that was hidden beneath the trees. "Do you smell them too?" I asked looked over the edge cautiously.

He nodded, his eyes glimmering with hatred as he stared at the trees. "Alright, let's get this started."

_Of all the money that here I spent,_

_I spent in in good company,_

_And of all the harm I've done,_

_Alas was done to none but me,_

_And all I've done for want of wit,_

_To memory now I can't recall,_

_So fill me with the parting glass._

_Goodnight and joy be with you all. _

_Oh, if I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile,_

_There's a fair young man in this town that sorely my heart beguiled,_

_His rosy cheeks and lovely lips,_

_Alone he has my heart all thrall,_

_So fill to me with the parting glass,_

_Goodnight and Joy be with you all._

_Of all the comrades that here I've had,_

_They're sorry for my going away,_

_And of all the sweethearts that here I had,_

_They wish me one more day to stay,_

_But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not,_

_I will gently rise and softly call,_

_Goodnight and joy be with you all. _

** A chill ricocheted down my spine as the song echoed throughout the valley. I could feel the goosebumps erupt over my skin as she softly sang out in the chilling evening air. _Who was __singing? _The question echoed throughout my thoughts, pushing my feet faster to where the source of that sound came from. But it was the sound of explosions that made me stop. Yes, it was the bursts of angry reds and oranges that stopped me dead in my tracks. They were dying, well they were already dead, but they were no further use for us. "An exorcist?" I said, thinking out loud. **

** A cruel and twisted smile crept onto my face. I started to walk faster, in hopes of having fun with the lovely creature that held that voice. I thought back to the stranger from before, thinking of her creamy milk like skin against honey hair. This voice reminded me of her, it prickled at this odd obsession I had gained in her absence and made me eager to find out who she was. **

** Louder and louder the voice grew, as did the crescendo of explosions. I was getting closer. I could feel the pounding of my heart quicken as her voice trickled away and she stopped. The first thing I saw was not the patch of an exorcist, no. It was gold. Shimmery velveteen gold that glided in the wind like wings. It swam around her in the wind, tied back in a raven colored ribbon. She was dressed in all black, the suit tight around her legs. Goggles covered her eyes, masking her sapphire like eyes away from me. But it was _her. _A wolf sat at her feet, his face almost smug as she reached down and scratched him between his ears. She smiled showing her pearl like teeth all of them perfectly straight. I nearly died. **

** She was painfully beautiful. I watched her take of the goggles and perch them back on her head. "What do you think, Ember?" She asked crouching next to the incredibly large wolf. **

** "_Beautiful, as always. I don't think for them though." _**

** She laughed slightly and smiled wider, until something hit her. Her smile turned off, her eyes becoming wide. _Ah, so it begins. _I thought with a sneer. I watched in sheer delight as her pale marble like lips dropped in surprise. She snapped her jaw back into place, setting it into a firm guarded line. _"Show yourself." _She growled her voice low, a gloved embodied hand clutching firmly at the machete at her side. **

** I let out a deep laugh, waltzing into the clearing with a confident stride. I tipped my hat at her, smirking as I grew closer to the women I had been desperate to find. "_You. Why are~" _**

** "Ah yes, you took me by surprise too. I have to say though, it's a bit of an inconvenience." **

** She shivered at the sound of my voice, her eyes fluttering closed for just a moment. Her gaze was heavy on mine as a small growl erupted from the back of her throat. I chuckled slightly, my eyes wandering over her face and body. "What do you mean 'an inconvenience'?" **

** I was a little surprised to hear that her voice softened a little, but I could tell she was still on guard. _I'd better tread on this subject very carefully. _I thought with a sigh. "See, you, my dear. Are an interesting character, and much to my own aversion I thoroughly enjoy talking with you. But unfortunately, I cannot spat with you much longer, see we are enemies."**

** Her eyes grew wider, her hand gripping her weapon tighter. I could nearly hear her heart beat faster. "You're an Akuma?" **

** I couldn't help but laugh out. What a ludicrous idea?! "No, no, no. Haven't they told you that there are far worse things you need to worry about than Akuma? Hmm?" **

** She hesitantly shook her head. "The only one they told me to look out for is the Earl... but if you're not an Akuma then... what are you?" **

** I shook my head and stalked closer to the golden hair maiden. A grin stretched across my face though when she took a step away from me. "Don't worry. I won't hurt you just yet, I would like to know a few things, just as would you I think." **

** Something flickered in her eyes but was gone before I could learn what it was. All of the sudden the wolf stepped out in front of the maiden, his teeth bared. The maidens eyes grew a bit wider as she stared at the wolf. "Ember, go find Marie. I will be fine." **

** He looked up at her as she bent down and scratched him behind his ears. He reluctantly left, looking back at her and I just before he disappeared into the forest. "You're protective over him, why?" **

** She stared at me as she pressed one of her palms to her right eye. "He's the only family I've ever had. You have to protect your family. But, you never answered my question, now did you?" **

** I chuckled, walking a little bit closer to her. "No, I didn't." **

** She glanced down at the ground and that was when I took the opportunity to prove my point. I reached for her hand, pulling her to me. She let out a small squeal of protest as I intertwined our hands together. I watched her as she tried to pull her hands from mine, her face twisting with irritation. "Let me go!" She exclaimed, a frustrated snarl curling her lips. **

** I pulled her closer to me, letting go of one of her hands so that I could pull her chin up and make her look me in the eyes. Her eyes were wide as I did so, a mocking sneer tugging at my mouth. "Tell me. Would a monster be able to do any of this? Is this not what a human feels like?"**

** She sneered, as she cocked her head in an arrogant manner. "A monster is easily deceiving, and I wouldn't know. I've only hugged another human once, and I will note it was many years ago." **

** This irked my curiosity again. It seemed that everything about this women was utterly intriguing. "Ah, so someone is an silver tongued vixen isn't she? It seems though that the more I learn about you the more I want to know. I wonder why you have that effect."**

** Her eyes grew wide at my words, her confidence evaporating into the sunset. She furrowed her brow and glared up at me. "So, you're human? But how can that~"**

** "It's a bit more complex than that. Try a Noah." I made my skin turn into the Noah side and sneered, watching as her eyes grew wide with amazement. "Perhaps that will make a bit more sense."**

** She tried to pull herself from me again, I only held on tighter much to her dismay. "Let me go!" She screamed, her arms pushing and shoving about. **

** I chuckled and gripped at her hands tighter until she stopped moving them in pain. Her glare grew more fiery, her lips pressed into a hard furious line. A foot came out of nowhere, and hit me smack in the face. The collision of the boot jarring my brain. I let go of her, both of us falling to the ground staring at the other with irritation. _"Ow." _I said bitterly. "That was a good kick." **

** I rubbed at the mark where she had kicked me sourly. That was the first time in a long time that someone had actually managed to land an attack on me. "You should have let me go. I could have done much worse if not for the fact that you were _crushing_ my hands." **

** I chuckled, fixing the top hat on my head. "I have no doubt. Now. How about a little game? Fox's do like games, don't they?" **

** She glared at me, another growl erupting from her chest. _"I'm not a fox, Noah. And no, I'd rather not play games with someone who has every intention on killing me." _**

** Another laugh came from my chest as I stared at her mockingly. "On the contrary if I had any say, I _wouldn't_ kill you. See, I would probably keep you as a pet or something. Besides, I think you will enjoy this game." **

** "Oh, like that's any better. I'd rather die than be kept in a cage!" **

** "That can always be arranged, but I'd rather it not come to that. Now! Here are the rules. The first one to land three attacks on the other person is the winner. Now, if you win I will not only tell you my name but I will also let you have the innocence this time _and_ I won't bother you for awhile. Does that sound alright?" **

** "And what would you want if you win? Hmm?" **

** "_Your name, _and possibly an hour of your time at my convenience." **

** Confusion flooded her eyes as she looked at me curious. "That's all? That's seriously all you want from me?" **

** "Well, what did you expect? Some crazy ordeal that is nearly impossible?" **

** She shrugged, and shook her head. "Kinda..." **

** "Yes, well this is our first game and I wanted to keep it simple. Now, are you in?" **

** Reluctance clouded her face as she nodded faintly. Then slowly a grin crept onto my face. "Alright, let's begin."**

** My mind went blank as the true monster within me came out. _Hello darkness, good bye light. _I thought with a sneer. Little did the maiden know that this was the monster to be feared, not the man from before. But soon she would figure it out, and _boy _would it be a _rude _awakening. **

_**Hello readers again! I just wanted to note that the song in the previous chapter I did write and the one in this chapter is an Irish folk song. Thanks for the reads. Please, please, please! Review! Thanks~ ELA**_


	7. Welcome to The Game

Fear burned in my chest as I watched the Noah set his top hat down on a rock. _He's trying my patience. _I thought, my fist clenching firmly at Byg. "You're very tense, you know that?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "You would be too if you needed to win."

He looked over at me curiously. A small mocking smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Need?"

I nodded, sighing deeply. "Yeah. This is my first mission and I intend on winning."

"Hmm, interesting. A determined women. I don't think I've seen that one in a long time."

"Yes, well. It is often that women are treated poorly so how can they be determined?"

"I see. But I'm sure that you have been cut down before, yes?"

I looked down for a moment staring at the leather covering my hands. "Of course. Women have always been torn and cut down at the seams, but I was never one to give up and never will be."

"An admirable trait, Mademoiselle."

I could hear his voice growing closer as I looked up to find him gone. I gripped Byg tighter my eyes scanning all around me. "Where are you?" I snarled with a glare.

"_Behind you." _

His breath tickled at my throat as his words whispered at my ear. I felt my eyes grow wide as I started to panic, my body froze momentarily. But I sighed and with drew Byg from it's sheath. _"Dimittam." _I growled as the Machete glowed.

The Noah jumped back in surprise only to get rid of that arrogant smirk that plastered his handsome face. With a flick of the wrist I sent it to him. _"Byg, Venatio." _

He dodged it easily smirking slightly. "Is that it, beautiful?"

I just stood there stoic, my arms crossed over my chest. "_Byg, reliquit." _

I watched as Byg nicked his left cheek, a small droplet of blood trickling from the wound. His eyes grew wide as I caught the machete and put it back in it's holster. "You shouldn't underestimate your opponent. It might in the end be fatal. Don't worry, it's just a nick and I didn't cut your hair."

I felt my brow furrow as he belted out in a fit of laughter, a few strands of his slicked back hair fell on the scars that lined his brow. He shook his head, straightening up with a funny smile on his face and small tears collected at his eyes. If he weren't my enemy I would have said that he was painfully handsome, but we were. I stood there caught in a stupor as he slowly walked over to me. "Tyki Mikk." He said, flashing a small charming smile with his gloved had outstretched.

"What?" I said still puzzled.

"My name is Tyki Mikk."

I stared at his hand reluctant on shaking it. "Don't worry. I'm a man of my word." He said sweetly.

I sighed and grabbed it, shaking it slightly. "I'm nobody. It's unfortunate to meet you."

His grin grew wider as the words tumbled out of my mouth. I let go of his oddly delicate large hand and started walking back to the inn. "You do realize that this isn't good bye for us, yes?"

I stopped at the sound of his voice, and listened to the sweetened melancholy that edged every word. "Oh?" I said, looking back at the man who was lounging in his own posture.

"If I have any say. We will meet again, and soon. By the way, I was right."

One my eyebrows rose. "About what?"

I blinked and he was gone, his voice echoing in the air. _"You do sing." _

**I watched her as she left. Her eyes wide with curiosity, her lovely small hands balled up into fists. **_**For a women her size she sure could fight well. **_**I thought with a smile. My hand crept up ****to the small incision she had made on my left cheek. It was thin, barely there, but still. She had done this. I could tell she was a little reluctant to leave, but she put down her goggles again and stared to run, using the hills to create a faster movement. Her long golden hair flew past her like wheat in wind. She was more wonderful that I could have ever imagined. It was a shame I had to kill her eventually. But I would like to play with her a bit more in the mean time. I retrieved my hat, patting off the small traces of snow, only to hear a lone howl in the distance. **

**"Ah, so she howls too." I said with a grin. The sound of it echoing through the valley made a chill ripple down my spine. **

_**It's a shame she's a exorcist. I'll have to hunt her like the fox that she is. **_

I stopped as Ember caught up to me, nearly collapsing to the snowy ground. "_What's wrong?" _He growled staring at me like I had broken my leg or something.

"N-nothing, I'm j-just really cold-d."

_"Did he hurt you?" _

I looked up at him with a smile, shaking my head. But I did grip at my arms, and tried to warm them up. "_Come on, your arms will take care of themselves. Let's go back to the inn." _

I nodded climbing onto his back stiffly. Burying my face into his soft plush fur. I fell asleep from the fact that he nearly rocked me back in forth over his back and plus he was very warm. But I let my self drift away.

_My breath burned inside my chest with every galloping stride I took. I was running. But from what I had no clue. I could feel my heart pound panic soiled blood into my veins, it was almost like it was trying to get out of it's cage. "Don't tell me you're afraid?!"_

_His voice roared and bounced off of the pristine marble tiles that lined the walls and floor. I could hear my heart fighting itself, trying to break free of it's bone cage. It was then a gloved hand snaked around my wrist, pulling me into a broad chest. "Let me go!" I screamed, trying to pull away from him. The monster only held me tighter to him, nearly crushing my fragile frame. _

_I let out a raspy moan as pain rippled through my spine. "Bastard! I told you to let me go!" _

_I watched as a menacing sneer plastered his face. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. A women shouldn't speak like that. It's unbecoming." _

_"Oh yeah? Well, a gentlemen shouldn't force his company on a lady! So, it's only fair if you keep this up then I should be able to talk however the fuck I want!"_

_My lips snarled in a pitiful way as I once again tried to push myself away from him. His hands were wrapped around my waist, pressing me tightly to his chest. I let out another frustrated snarl, letting one irritated tear fall onto my cheek. A hand grabbed my face roughly making me look up into his golden eyes. Satisfaction and arrogance clouded his very being. But there was something else there, something I couldn't quite fathom. His hand slid to the back of my head where my long blonde hair was still tied back in a pony tail, my goggles still sitting idly on top of my head. He tugged at the raven colored ribbon holding it back, letting my mass of curls fall over my shoulders. I felt my goggles fall to the floor, the sound loud and dull sounding. I ignored it for the moment, my mind starting to go blank from the fact that he was caressing my cheek and hair like it was something he marveled in. I had just started to loosen my glare a bit when his hand gripped roughly at my hair. "I don't think you're in position to make demands, Vivian. If anything I call the shots, since you are my play toy."_

_"I'm not yours. I am no one's property." _

_He scoffed, his sneer growing wider. "We'll see about that." _

I awoke in a jolt, my mind twisted in knots that couldn't easily be deciphered. "You fall asleep so easily."

My eyes flickered over to Ember's silhouette hunched over in a chair on the other side of the room. "Yeah." I said with a sigh, hugging the covers closer to my chest. "It's really cold here."

"Yes, well it is Moscow." I watched as he got up from the chair with a smile.

"Vivian. What happened? Did he hurt you?"

I watched as his face became grim, his features worried for my well being. My brow furrowed deep in thought. What had happened? Suddenly it all came back to me. _Tyki Mikk. _I thought dangerously. "I had a run in with a Noah. What ever that means. I'm not hurt, I won a bet from him and he said that he would leave us alone for awhile and give us the innocence this round."

Ember's face was priceless. His was completely dumbfounded. "What kind of bet was this? Nothing bad, right?"

"Nope, we just sparred and the first person who landed an attack on the other won."

He growled irritably. "You could have gotten killed, or raped! I should have stayed with you."

"Ember, I'm fine! Nothing is wrong, I'm~"

_"You had a run in with a Noah?" _

Ember and I both looked over to the door to see Marie's silhouette standing there. I sighed running a hand through my long hair. "Yes, but he didn't hurt me. I'm fine, just tired!"

"Consider yourself very lucky, it could have easily killed a new exorcist like you. Did it tell you it's name?"

"Yes, it was Tyki Mikk. He was really cocky."

"I've never heard of that one... maybe Kamui will know."

I nodded, getting up from the lumpy bed that I had slept in.

"Ember how long was I asleep?" I asked with a small yawn.

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "A few hours, sleeping beauty."

I shot him a glare and sighed. My mind was boggled by my meeting with the monster and the dreams I kept having. It seemed life was becoming complicated. "Alright, I'm going to take a bath. Tell me when dinner is ready."

Ember nodded as I left, his face stricken with worry. I had no clue why Tyki kept coming up every where I turned, but it irritated me and scared me all at the same time. _We'll see about that. _His words swam in my head, edging on my head ache and the urge to strangle someone. _I won't see you again, Noah. _

**The mark the female exorcist gave me had started to dully ache and my hand caressing it didn't help. It was barely a flesh wound, so why was it beginning to **_**really**_** hurt? I as curious to know that. Just like I was curious to know much about the women in black. But I knew better than to go against my word. If I had an honor code it would be that. I never went against my word unless I couldn't prevent it. The ark was paved in all white. Clear blue skies shining down on me even though as of this morning I wanted it to be dark. **_**How ironic things can change so easily. **_**I thought with an arrogant sneer. I recalled her voice in the back of my head. Remembering just how lovely and haunting it was all at the same time. **

**There became an odd pep in my step as I nearly skipped through the marble halls of what we called home. "**_**Tyki! You're home early!" **_**Yelled Road as she clung to my shoulders. **

**I smiled to her, ruffling her dark spiky hair. "Yes, and I'll be home for a few days." **

**I watched as she cocked her head to the side, her brow furrowing with puzzlement. **

**"I thought you had a mission."**

**"I did, but well... an exorcist kinda beat me at my own game." **

**Her jaw dropped all together. "How? And why do you have a small cut on your cheek?" **

**"To put it simply, I made a bet that I was too naive to win."**

**I thought back to our fight and the precision she had used to just barely cut my cheek. I had been very foolish, but I knew that it wouldn't happen again. Next time would be much different. "Wait, so it was the girl that you met awhile ago? The blonde with the really blue eyes?" **

**I nodded and smiled, a gloved hand reaching up at the small incision on my cheek. "She's an exorcist, a very strong one too. But that would explain why I haven't been able to find her in awhile." **

**"So, how did she do**_** that?**_**" Road gestured to the cut that I was still caressing lovingly. **

**"Her innocence I think has to do with her voice, but she threw her machete at me and commanded it to cut me. She whipped out my whole fleet of Akuma by **_**singing.**_**" **

**I watched as a smile crept onto Road's face. "Oh, really? How did it sound?" **

**I thought back to the sound of her voice echoing through the valley. "Angelic, if that is even possible." **

**"It didn't hurt you?"**

**I shook my head, my grin spreading from ear to ear. "Nope. It was strange, but I have a feeling if she had known I was there it would have."**

**I could tell that Road was reading my thoughts and the flash backs I was having of what had happened earlier. "Well, it seems we both have our favorites. You know Earl-tama will want to hear about this, right?" **

**My smile disappeared at the sound of The Millennium Earl's name. "Yeah. That's what I'm worried about." **

Snow had started to fall endlessly over the wood where our inn was. I was standing by the window waiting for the hot water to fill the tub that sat in the corner. A mixture of steam and frost disfigured the windows, but there was something on my mind that tugged at every emotion I had. A grim pucker tugged at my lips, my brows were furrowed irritably. I kept replaying today's events in the back of my head, remembering the odd stranger that had promised me my first innocence. "I wonder if he will keep his promise..." I said to my self, my hands tracing patterns into the icy windows.

"_Oh, _He will. Tyki has always been good with that."

My eyes grew wide as I whipped around staring at the young girl who was sitting on the dressing table. My hand reached for Byg who was laying idly on the old chair next to me. "There is no need for that. I'm not here to hurt you, I just wanted to say hello."

I straightened up, still glaring at the girl with suspicion. She hopped down from the table with the grace of a panther. God, were all of them really graceful? The girl giggled slightly as she made her way towards me. I glared down at the girl who was a great amount shorter than me. "My name is Road Kamelot. I got kinda curious of you after Tyki said you took care of all his Akuma by singing. I think I could like you very easily."

One of my eye brows rose. "What's that supposed to mean? That you could like me?"

She smiled up at me, her arms wrapping around waist as she hugged me. "Oh, you'll see soon. By the way, Tyki's little flash backs that he has been replaying of you for like three months, doesn't do you justice. You're _really_ pretty."

She gave me another awkward squeeze and let go, going over to the door out of the bathroom and shoving a odd looking skeleton key into the hole. "I'll be seeing ya soon! Bye Blondie!"

She waved as the door turned into another opulent looking door she opened it, disappearing into the door just before it evaporated. I stood there a moment, caught in a stupor. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?


	8. A moment of peace

Everyone was hiding something from me, and for the record, I wasn't exaggerating. Coming home from Moscow was nice, peaceful if you will. But there was something wrong with this. It was too quiet, too normal. "_Kamui!" _I snarled, slamming open the door to where the science division was working. They all stared at me like I was a ghost. "I have a bone to pick with you!"

My fists were clenched with fury, my jaw so tight that it hurt. In other words I was out for murder. "Vivian? What are you doing home so early? Did you get the Innocence?"

I snapped my jaw at him and sneered. "Of course I did. You can rest easy on that. But I do have one very important question."

Stalking over to him, a growl forming the back of my throat, he whimpered slightly in fear. "Just what the hell is a Noah and how do I kill it?"

There was a chorus of gasps all around the room, everyone had stopped what they were doing and stared at me horror stuck. "Oo, seems I struck a nerve." I said with a cruel scoff.

"How do you know about that?" He asked his eyes wide.

"I had a run in with _two_ of them! No I am not hurt, in fact I caused more damage to the first one but the second didn't want to fight me. She just talked to me. But still, how am I supposed to fight something I no absolutely nothing about? Huh?"

He didn't answer, he just looked at the ground in silence. This in turn made me more angry, so much that I wanted to rip out all of my hair. "_Fine then. _Don't answer me! _I'll just find out myself!" _

Some hours later...

To people passing by I would have looked like a strange girl with long wavy blonde hair and icy blue eyes sitting randomly on the floor of the black order enveloped in an unknown book. It would seem almost calming, serene if you will. But if you looking inside that girls head at that moment you would realize just how tormented she was with her very own thoughts. My mind was racing with questions that had been left unanswered by nearly every person I had talked to. It was an angry torrent of words that would possibly boggle even the most knowledgeable philosophers. So to put it to simple terms, I was _pissed. _Not one person would tell me anything, and I couldn't find Kanda who _would _give it to me straight. "AHUHGH!" I growled, hurling the useless book about where I had found it.

I watched as finders and a few exorcists scattered away from my sudden surge of fiery rage. I let out a small growl and stomped off down the small corridor. I was normal clothes, well. They were normal for me. I hated dresses with a burning passion so I mostly wore trousers and button down shirts. My hair was lowly tied up with my raven ribbon that Ember had given me. I wore beaten slacks and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and suspenders. Today wasn't going at all how I had planned it. But I tried to calm myself down as I walked down the narrow corridor with stained glass windows looking out into the snowy England abyss. My fingers grazed the walls as tried to calm myself down in hopes of possibly finding Kanda. I stopped at my room at that moment and glared at the door. _Why is this so troubling? _I thought irritably. _Is it that I'm nearly desperate that no one will tell me what I need to know? _

I didn't know. But there was a part of me that didn't want to know. I opened my door only to walk into it, shutting the door behind me with a soft thud. My room was just how I had left it. The hard wood floors were still unscathed and shiny, my belongings strewn about in an orderly fashion. Sheet music of different instruments were scattered about my desk by the window, my bed was tidily made, there was really nothing missing. But something felt odd about it, I still couldn't quite put my finger on it though. With a sigh, I fell face down on to my bed. My face landing into the pillow that sat at the head of the furniture. Exhaustion settled over me, making me drowsy and oddly heavy feeling. It was then when sleep came easily to me.

**She knew I was there, but still she did nothing. Or perhaps it was that she was too tired to notice. I wasn't sure. I watched as she fell face forward into the pillow on her bed. Golden curls fell loosely around her as her brow furrowed and she faced me, her eyes tightly closed. I was puzzled at was she was wearing, but then I thought of her personality and it made sense. She didn't seem like the women to wear corsets or velvet dresses with elaborate embroidering. I couldn't help but smile when I realized that she was already asleep. "Someone's a bit exhausted." I said with sneer. **

**Her arms were tightly locked around her pillow, her hair had fallen out of the ribbon that held it back, her soft lips just barely parted. _This girl is going to kill me. _I thought inwardly groaning. My hand traced an outline in the piece of parchment that weighed heavily in my hand. But I shook my head and laid the note on her nightstand. I sat down on her bed, picking up the raven colored ribbon and untying the knot that was in it. She was so peaceful it was almost unbelievable. Especially considering that she was a very strong exorcist. I reached over setting the ribbon on her nightstand next to the note, only to then get curious. **

**She looked so soft, that was what had made me curious. I took off my glove, my hand reaching out to the girl who slept easily before me. It was when my hand touched her flesh when my stomach to a dip. My fingers traced her velvet like flesh, pushing back a few strands of hair that had fallen over her face, only then to wrap around to the pale plump lips that had an odd glisten to them. They _were _soft. Just as I had imagined, it was a velvet soft that made something inside me leap for joy. It also made something turn sour, but I ignored my conflicting emotions and watched her for quite some time. I was mesmerized by the rise and fall of her chest, and the way she would grip at her pillow like it was the thing protecting her.**

**I had never seen something so fragile and yet so beautiful in my whole life. My fingers curled themselves in the ends of the soft golden tendrils of her hair as it cascaded like a ribbon over her bed. The urge to lay beside her welled up beneath the human side of me, but I ignored it getting up from where she slept and going over to my point of entry. I looked back at her once, drinking in the beautiful creature that slept snugly in her bed. I watched as she nudged her pillow with her nose and smiled in her sleep. _That was adorable. _I thought with a smile. All of the sudden, my feet moved on their own and waltzed over to where she was. I bent over staring at her long lashes that laced over one another over her eyes. It was then when my lips fell lightly over her cheek, just barely leaving a small peck on her velvet skin. **

I awoke easily, darkness instead of light greeting me. My eyes searched around the room for something wrong, something out of place. But alas, there was nothing. Not one thing really out of place. I shoved a hand in my hair, rubbing at the scalp that thudded dully. I had fallen asleep. Why was I not surprised? It was then when I noticed something hidden slightly from a silken ribbon. My finger tips brushed the heavy parchment of the letter, my eyes lingering on the blood red wax crest keeping the folds together neatly. I picked it up, turning it over cautiously in my hands only to stop dead in my tracks when I saw the handwriting. _Beautiful stranger. _It said, perfect intricate handwriting looping this way and that. "T-tyki Mikk? How...?"

Panic flooded every thought that I had. I was terrified now, and there were many thought swimming though my head. I felt tears welling up into the corners of mys eyes and dripping down onto my face and neck. My fingers pried open the seal, the wax making a small startling snapping noise as it started to unravel.

_Miss Fox,_

_I meant what I said when I told you that I would leave you alone for the time being._

_However, to put it quite simply._

_I had to write you this._

_There is no need to feel frightened right now, I assure you that I am long gone._

_After all, I do have other things to do, don't I? _

_Anyways, do you find it at odd how no one will tell you who we are? _

_I certainly do. I'm not even on your side and I do._

_But I did find it amusing how you were scouring ever nook and cranny for something about my family._

_Have I really made that kind of impact over you?_

_But that isn't the point I was going to make._

_I, lack of a better term, disparaged you. _

_See, it isn't often when I meet a strong exorcist, and I will give it to you that you are strong._

_But, nonetheless, that was a mistake that won't happen again. _

_The next time we meet, You will be mine. _

_I'll be seeing you very soon,_

_Tyki Mikk._

There was a small scoff in the back of my throat as I read the last words on the page. My mind went through the dream I had back in Moscow. It was the very thought of it that made a chill rack down my spine. There was no way that I was going with him, even if I had to fight my way bloody to make him leave me alone, I would. But I didn't really know what was going to happen next. I tied my hair back up in the ribbon and walked outside of my room, shoving the letter underneath my pillow with an irritable sigh.

The cafeteria was unusually quiet as I entered. I listened to the sounds my feet were making against the marbled floors as I walked over to Jerry. "Vivian!" He exclaimed, an enormous grin spreading over his features.

"Hey, can I get some black coffee, poached pears, beef au bleu, and a large baugette with creamy butter and herbs?"

I flashed a charming smile at him, and leaned over to where he was cooking a small stir fry. "Not, very hungry, huh?"

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest. "Nah, sorry Jerry.

"By the way. Do you know why Kanda is?"

He looked up at me, his eye brows risen and a small frown adding an odd pucker to his lips. "He's on a mission right now. I'm sure you will depart for one soon too."

I slowly nodded, slightly bummed that he was gone. Jerry gave me my food and I sat down, sitting by the window only to look out at the silver painted landscape.

I was sharpening Byg in my room latter than night when Lenalee knocked on my door. "Come in." I said, running my hand lightly over the sharp blade.

She walked in with a bright smile painted on her lips. "Kamui wants to see you. New mission."

I nodded curtly, putting Byg back in it's case and walking out, only to strap it to my belt. I was still seething from this morning, but I ignored my anger and tried to focus on the task ahead. "You wanted to see me?" I said as I walked into his office which looked like a tsunami had blown through a second ago.

Kamui nodded to the chair across from him and smiled slightly. I could tell he was nervous from my last surge of anger but he put it off, handing me the file in which my next mission was in.

"China?" I said curiously.

I watched as he nodded, the last of his smile disappearing only to leave a small frown. "Yes, you will be going with Lenalee and the rest of your friends. The person you must protect is Cross Marian, understand?"

I could feel a sly sneer creep onto my face as I crossed my legs and leaned back into my chair. "He's a general, yes? So why does he of all people need our help?"

"Vivian, there has been a threat that the earl is going to kill off all of the general's, that is why we are protecting them. Now, I want you to start packing. You leave in a few hours."

I stormed out of there with a bitter taste in my mouth. Something seemed wrong about this, but I couldn't put my finger just on what. I was quiet as I stalked into my room. An odd feeling had washed over me completely, leaving me wanting to rip out all of my hair and cut off someones head. The voice in the back of my head burned and barked at me, tugging my mind this way and that. However, I still did as I was told. I started to pack for the mission I was reluctant to even start.

I stuffed a few shirts in the bag along with some pants, only to stop as I felt something on my back. I froze as I stood there, my eyes widened with panic as I slowly turned, the hand that caressed my back falling slightly in the process. It was when I turned in full though when I noticed that no one was there. It was just me and my empty room. And that is when the worst feeling settled over me. I was alone, just like I had been for a long time.

_Hi readers. It's been awhile and I apologize for that. Life has been a bit hectic and I haven't had much time to write. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you guys will write me lovely comments. Thanks again. ~ ELA_


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